Railroad-switch-operating device



[Nov 4, 1924. 1,514,376

J. CZERNIAK RAILROAD SWITCH OPERATING DE VICE Filed Jan. 2 1924 INVENTORATTORNEY Patented Nov. 4, 1.924%.

earner easiest JOZEPH CZERNIAK, OF KENGSHA, W'ISQONSEN.

RAILROAD-S1VITCH-0TEERATING DEVICE.

Application filed January 2,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JoZnrI-r Cznnzvran, a citizen of the United States,residing at Kenosha, in the county of Kenosha and State of Wisconsin,have invented certain new and. useful Improvements inRailroad-Switch-Operating Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a railroad switch operating device by means ofwhich a switch can be operated by one of the crew of an approachingtrain or engine, from said train or eng1ne, the invention having for anob-' ject the provision of novel switchoperating device of this sort.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the object andadvantages there of, reference will be had to the following descriptionand accompanying drawin and to the appended claims in which the variousnovel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

Fig. 1 of the drawing is a plan view showing my improved switchoperating means applied to a railroad track.

Fig. 2 is a side view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view showing the switchingdevice.

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the operating device carried onthe train.

In the drawing the reference numerals 10 and 11 indicated a pair oftracks rails, while 10 and 11' indicate a pair of rail ends which areadapted to connect to the rails 10 and 11 to enable a train to transferfrom one pair of rails to the other and which we may consider as theends of a siding. Extending along the rail 11, which is on that side ofthe track from which the siding joins it, are pairs of the horizontalbars 12 which extend along opposite sides of the rail parallel theretoand which are slightly spaced laterally therefrom. and may have theirtop faces substantially flush with the top face of the rail. These bars12 are provided with a number of downwardly extending lugs 13 to whichattach the approximatelv horizontal arms of a number of hell cranklevers 14 which are fulcrumed on the upper ends of the brackets elements15 fixed to the base flange of the rail 11. Connected to the verticalarms of these bell crank levers are the thrust bars 18 which are adaptedto be moved longitudinally when the bars 12 are Serial No. 683,884).

depressed, these thrust bars extending along the rail, one on each sidethereof, and having their main lengths just above the ties on which therail rests. ends 10 and 11 are connected together by means of atransverse link 20 which engages their base flanges 'inthe usual mannerby means of claw elements on its ends.

The adjustable rail This linkis adapted to be shifted longitudinally ofitself, that is transversely of the track, by means of a rockdever 22which is fulcrumed between its ends as at 23 to a suitable fixed partsuch as the base element 24 sunk in the r ad bed below the level of therails this lever having a short finger 22 projecting from the centrethereof through which the link 20 is operated. The opposite ends of thelever 22 are adapted to be engaged directly by the adjacent ends of the7 thrust bars 18 when a train approaches the switch from one direction;When a train approaches in the opposite direction the lever ends areengaged byhooked fingers 24 formed on one end of other levers 25 whichare fulcrumedas at 26 to the base element 24, these levers having theiropposite ends projecting across the ends of the thrust bars 18 to beoperated by the latter, the end portions of the thrust bars beingdepressed below the level of the rails as at 18', so as to clear therail elements 10 and 11. As will be readily understood when one of thebars 12 is depressed the switch ends will be moved in one direction, andwhen the other of said bars is depressed the switch ends will be movedin an opposite direction.

The connection between the finger 22 and the link 20 is effected throughthe medium of a gear sector 30 on said finger which engages a gearpinion 31 fixed to a spindle 32 rotatable in the base element 24 towhich spindle 32 is also fixed an eccentric disk 33 engaging in asuitable aperture in the link midway bet-ween the ends of the latter.The 1 any suitable part of the train. and is formed with pairs of crankelements 41 to which are connected the bars 42 which extend downward toengage the said bars, having rollers 43 on their lower ends which comeinto contact with the bars. The lower ends of these bars may be guidedby suitable parts. Fixed to the shaft 40 is a handle 45 for rocking theshaft.

As will be apparent from the above description, the engineer or othermember of the crew of a train approaching the switch and desiring tochange the latter can do so by rocking the shaft l0 in the properdirection to depress the right one of the bars 12 and thereby cause theswitch ends to be moved.

While I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of myinvention it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to theprecise construction herein shown and that various changes andmodifications might be made therein without departing from the spiritand scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire toprotect by Letters Patent of the United States is as follows:

1. In a railroad track, a movable switch end, a depressible barextending along the track, a thrust bar .also extending along the track,bell crank levers connecting said first and second bars wherebydepression of the first bar moves the second bar longitudinally, a rocklever adapted for operation by said second bar, and an operativeconnection between said rock lever and switch end.

2. In a railroad track, a movable switch end, a depressible barextending along the track, a thrust bar also extending along the track,bell. crank levers connecting said first and second bars wherebydepression of the first bar moves the second bar longitudinally, a rocklever adapted for operation by said second bar, and an operativeconnection between said rock lever and switch end, said operativeconnection comprising a gear segment on the rock lever, a pinion engagedby said segment, an eccentric disk fixed to said pinion, and a link withwhich said disk is engaged.

3. In a railroad track, a rail, a pair of movable switch ends, a pair ofbars extending along one of the track rails on opposite sides of thelatter, a pair of thrust bars, bell crank levers connecting said firstand second named bars whereby depression of the former moves the latterlongitudinally, a rock lever tulerumed midway between its ends andadapted to have opposite arms thereof engaged by the respective thrustbars, a link connecting the said rail ends, and an operative connectionbetween said rock lever and said link.

In testimony whereof I have afliXed my signature. v

J OZEPI-I CZERNIAK.

